ABSTRACT
Background: The impact of COVID-19 on mental health has been continuously reported, especially among healthcare workers. In the literature, anxiety and depressive symptoms are not uncommon in infected individuals. However, there is little data on these psychological events in healthcare professionals. Objective(s): To determine the prevalence and associated factors of anxiety and depressive symptoms in healthcare workers infected by COVID-19. Method(s): This is a cross-sectional study conducted among healthcare workers at Farhat Hached University Hospital infected by COVID 19. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on the socio-professional and medical characteristics of the participants. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD-S). Result(s): A total of 477 confirmed COVID-19 in healthcare workers were included in this study (85.9%). The mean age of the participants was 39.9 +/-10.8 years. Women represented 78.2%. The majority of the infected participants were nurses (32.1%). The paucisymptomatic form of the disease was the most frequent (73.8%). After returning to work, 62.7% of the participants retained residual symptoms and 15.5% experienced stigma reactions from their colleagues. The overall prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms were 25.4% and 19.1%, respectively. These identified problems were significantly interrelated. Furthermore, residual symptoms and duration of confinement predicted anxiety symptomatology, while female gender and symptomatic clinical form of COVID-19 were significantly associated with depressive symptomatology. Conclusion(s): The psychological events of COVID-19 are frequent among healthcare workers. Thus, systematic screening and early management of psychological disorders are necessary to preserve the human resources of the health sector.
ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 is the most important health problem in the world nowadays. Since the publication of the first cases, the symptoms have become more numerous. Anosmia has been recently recognized as a frequent and relevant symptom for the detection of COVID-19, especially in pauci-symptomatic forms. Objective(s): To determine the prevalence of anosmia in health care workers affected by SARS-COV2 and to identify its associated factors. Method(s): This is a cross-sectional analytical study, carried out over a six-month period, which included all healthcare workers of Farhat Hached Academic Hospital of Sousse, Tunisia, affected by SARS-COV2 and confirmed by polymerase chain reaction or antigen rapid test. Result(s): A total of 474 healthcare workers were enrolled with a mean age of 41.02+/-10.67 years and a sex ratio of 0.2. The gynecology department was the most represented one (13.9%). Nurses were the most affected (31.4%). Hospitalization was required for 16 patients (3.4%). The average time of work was 17.04 +/- 11.6 days. Anosmia persisted for more than 90 days in 35 patients (7.4%). After multiple binary logistic regression, anosmia was statistically associated with female gender (p = 0.001;ORIC95%:2.46 [1.4-4.2]) and blue-collar occupational category (p = 0.002;ORIC95%:3.1 [1.5-6.5]). A significant association was also noted between the presence of anosmia and professional seniority (p = 0.019;OR IC95%: 0.97 [0.95-0.99]) and the duration of work (p = 0.03;OR IC95%: 0.97 [0.95-0.99]). Conclusion(s): Although anosmia seems to be frequent in COVID-19 patients, there is still not enough evidence to affirm that it is a strong predictor of the diagnosis of COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The COVID-19 crisis has imposed deep improvements in ICU responsiveness face to unprecedented and uncertain situations. In addition to strengthening logistics resources, this responsiveness required the development of psychosocial skills of healthcare providers, especially in ICU. Objective(s): To assess extrinsic factors interfering with psychosocial skills of the staff working in COVID-19 ICU and to analyze the different dimensions of these skills. Method(s): This is an observational descriptive study conducted at the COVID-19 ICU of an Academic Hospital, during a one-month period. All healthcare providers were enrolled. Data collection was based on a self-administered questionnaire including: sociodemographic factors;the general perception of work in covid-19 ICU and psychosocial skills. Six dimensions were explored separately, then by a standardized scale ranging from 0 to 100.Three levels of satisfaction were considered. Result(s): Fifty-five healthcare providers were enrolled. The average age was 32 years. The sex ratio was 0.25. Mean scales of satisfaction were 53.6 for professional status and occupational security;62.4 for working conditions and 69.8 for relational aspects. The most altered extrinsic factors were satisfaction regarding the salary and satisfaction regarding the administration policy with mean scores of 15 and 10 respectively. Satisfying psychosocial skills were creative and critical thoughts, self-awareness and empathy for others, communication and interpersonal relationships. Whereas the most impaired skills were stress management and problems solving, with mean scales of 49.6 and 68.3 respectively. Conclusion(s): Psychosocial skills were generally acceptable. However, they could be improved by specific actions targeting extrinsic factors.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has focused attention on the challenges and risks faced by frontline healthcare workers (HCW). Objective(s): To describe the quality of management of HCW affected by the COVID-19. Method(s): This is a cross-sectional study enrolling all HCW of Farhat Hached Academic hospital who had been affected by COVID-19 during the period from september to December 2020. Result(s): During the study period, 267 HCW were affected with a mean age of 42.3 +/-10 years and a ratio-sex of 0.25. The most represented category was nurses (33.3%) followed by technicians (26.1%). Gynecology department had the highest number of affected HCW (14.4%).The majority of participants (97.4%) reported a medical care. Twelve HCW (4.5%) were hospitalized with an average length of hospital stay of 7.55 +/- 6.12 days. The average length of sick leave was 18.68 +/- 10.99 days. During the lockdown, 38.6% of HCW took care of their children without any external help. All of the HCW were supported by phone calls from colleagues in 88.4% of cases, the hierarchy in 67.4% of cases, occupational medicine in 60.3% of cases. Conclusion(s): The impact of COVID 19 is greater in HCW than in the general population. The affected staff should have a multidimensional management to avoid post covid sequelae in both physical and mental levels.
ABSTRACT
Introduction : The COVID-19 pandemic has focused attention on the challenges and risks faced by frontline healthcare workers (HCW). This study aimed to describe the quality of management of HCW affected by the COVID-19. Methods : This is a cross-sectional study enrolling all HCW of Farhat Hached Academic hospital who had been affected by COVID-19 during the period from september to December 2020. Results : During the study period, 27 HCW were affected with a mean age of 42.3 ±10 years and a ratio-sex of 0.25. The most represented category was nurses (33.3%) followed by technicians (26.1%). Gynecology department had the highest number of affected HCW (14.4%) followed by pediatric department and administration in 7.2% and 5.7% respectively. The mean of seniority was 14.5± 11 years. The majority of participants (97.4%) reported a medical care. Twelve HCW (4.5%) were hospitalized with an average length of hospital stay of 7.55 ± 6.12 days. The average length of sick leave was 18.68 ± 10.99 days. During the lockdown, 38.6% of HCW took care of their children without any external help. All of the HCW were supported by phone calls from colleagues in 88.4% of cases, the hierarchy in 67.4% of cases, occupational medicine in 60.3% of cases. Conclusion : The impact of COVID 19 is greater in HCW than in the general population. The affected staff should have a multidimensional management to avoid post covid sequelae in both physical and mental levels.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Seasonal influenza vaccination of healthcare workers (HCWs) is recommended in order to protect themselves and patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, several studies highlighted the benefit of Influenza vaccination in reducing COVID-19 burden especially in developing countries. However, Influenza vaccination coverage among HCWs is unknown in the majority of these countries. Objectives: To investigate the acceptance of Influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic among Tunisian HCWs. Methods: An online cross-sectional study was led between the 7th and the 21th of January 2021 among 493 Tunisian health professionals. A pre-established and pre-tested questionnaire recorded in a free Google form was self-administrated to participants anonymously. The generated online Google Sheet was uploaded and exported to the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 10.0 software for analysis. Results: The mean age of participants was 37.4 (± 9.5) years. The males/females ratio was 0.38.The rates of influenza vaccine acceptance were: 68% among medical doctors, 65.7% among pharmacists, 55.8% among paramedical professionals and 50% among dental surgeons. Working in the public sector and having a chronic condition predicted more acceptance of influenza vaccine with adjusted odds ratio of 1.9 (95% CI: 1.3-3.9) and 2.1 (95% CI: 1.3-3.5) respectively. Having been infected by the SARS-COV2 predicted fewer acceptances with and adjusted odds ratio of 0.3 (95% CI: 0.1-0.7). Conclusion: More attention should be paid to Tunisian paramedical professionals and dental surgeons in order to increase influenza vaccine uptake among them. Involving HCWs in the national information campaign about COVID-19 and Influenza vaccination would ensure more vaccines acceptance among them.